Former First Lady Reveals She’s Become a ‘Big HGTV Fan’

With much more free time than she had during the eight years her family lived in the White House, former First Lady Michelle Obama says she now enjoys watching TV — including lots of HGTV.

On April 8, 2025, Obama revealed her small-screen favorites on actress Sophia Bush’s “Work in Progress” podcast, noting that for her, watching HGTV’s home renovation shows is relaxing in the way that watching golf is for former President Barack Obama. But she’s not the only former First Lady who’s shown an affinity for the channel.

Michelle Obama Says She Watches Reality Shows From HGTV to ‘Real Housewives’

During her interview on “Work in Progress,” Obama revealed she has a wide range of TV favorites, including plenty of reality shows, noting that she prefers lighter fare than her husband.

“I need light,” Obama said. “And Barack and I, we sometimes argue over what can we watch jointly because he likes death and darkness … I said, ‘You know, you like the plots where everybody’s sad and then they die.'”

Obama said she “oftentimes” turns to reality shows “because when I go to TV, I just want to turn off … I am a ‘Real Housewives’ person. I love the dating shows, you know. I don’t agree with them all, but you know I love to watch.”

Obama admitted she watches “Love Island” with her daughters — Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23 — but insisted, “I only watch it with them … because I’m as amused at their feedback and their commentary as I am with what’s going on!”

“And I’m also, like, a big HGTV fan because that’s like my golf,” Obama added. “Barrack puts on golf, like, to have the sound off. If I just need the TV on at home, reno (shows) — I love all of them.”

She’s not the only former First Lady to share her affinity for HGTV. In 2015, when Hilary Clinton was running for president, she told CBS News, “I’ll tell you, what I relax by is house and garden TV. I love watching people redecorating their houses, buying houses. There’s a program called ‘Love It or List It.’ I like to watch ‘Beachfront Bargain.’ And I’m interested in this young couple that flips houses, whether they’re gonna make their money or not. I find it relaxing and entertaining and informative, watching HGTV.”

In early 2018, former First Lady Laura Bush appeared with Joanna Gaines on an episode of “Fixer Upper,” helping her pick out a tree for her client on the Bush’s tree farm.

Michelle Obama Appeared on HGTV Multiple Times as First Lady

The former First Lady didn’t specify which HGTV shows are her favorite. But Obama was on the network multiple times while serving as First Lady from 2009 through 2017. She appeared as part of HGTV’s annual “White House Christmas” specials, including welcoming the official White House Christmas tree in 2012 and speaking with a group of school children visiting during the holidays in 2015.

In 2013, she also appeared on ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” hosted by Ty Pennington, who’s now a staple on HGTV.

Although she’s not working on any home renovation shows, Obama has begun producing feel-good reality TV, including the 2024 Netflix show “Later Daters,” per The Hollywood Reporter.

“Unscripted programming is an important genre now,” she said on the “Work in Progress” podcast. “Reality TV is a part of life, and I’m a fan of reality TV, and so it was very important for our company to reflect not just my husband’s taste, but mine as well.”